Area In Southern Sweden Research Articles

ESTIMATION OF TREE STEM ATTRIBUTES USING TERRESTRIAL PHOTOGRAMMETRY

Abstract. The objective of this work was to create a method to measure stem attributes of standing trees on field plots in the forest using terrestrial photogrammetry. The primary attributes of interest are the position and the diameter at breast height (DBH). The developed method creates point clouds from images from three or more calibrated cameras attached to a calibrated rig. SIFT features in multiple images in combination with epipolar line filtering are used to make high quality matching in images with large amounts of similar features and many occlusions. After projection of the point cloud to a simulated ground plane, RANSAC filtering is applied, followed by circle fitting to the remaining points. To evaluate the algorithm, a camera rig of five Canon digital system cameras with a baseline of 123 cm and up to 40 cm offset in height was constructed. The rig was used in a field campaign at the Remningstorp forest test area in southern Sweden. Ground truth was collected manually by surveying and manual measurements. Initial results show estimated tree stem diameters within 10% of the ground truth. This suggest that terrestrial photogrammetry is a viable method to measure tree stem diameters on circular field plots.

Effects of repeated fertilization of young Norway spruce on foliar phenolics and arthropods: Implications for insectivorous birds’ food resources

Repeated fertilization of young forests is a promising concept to increase the production of wood fiber, but the consequences of intense fertilization regimes on forest birds and their food resources, mediated through changes in the foliar chemistry are inadequately known. We assessed the effects of repeated fertilization in stands of young Norway spruce (Picea abies) on foliar phenolics and arthropods in an intensively managed forest area in southern Sweden in relation to the abundance of arboreal feeding birds breeding in the same stands. We anticipated leaf-sucking arthropods (viz. Hemiptera (aphids)) to react more strongly to changes in foliar phenolics than other invertebrate groups. Overall, we found small effects of fertilization on abundance and composition of different groups of foliar arthropods. However, the abundance of Hemiptera was much higher in early spring in fertilized stands than in unfertilized stands, whereas mites (Anactinotrichida and Actinotrichida) were more abundant in late spring in the fertilized stands. On the contrary, springtails (Collembola) were more abundant in unfertilized stands than in fertilized stands the late spring. The concentrations of two of the most abundant phenolics (hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives) as well as the sum concentration of HPLC-phenolics, were consistently lower in the fertilized stands. Positive effects on arthropod abundance mediated trough changes in the foliar chemistry following fertilization could help to explain why resident Goldcrest (Regulus regulus), which feeds on folivorous arthropods (i.e. aphids) during winter, was found to be more common in the fertilized stands (Edenius et al., 2011). Our results suggest that in intensively managed forest areas repeated fertilization of young spruce has the potential to enhance the suitability of these stands as winter feeding habitat for coniferous foliage-gleaning insectivorous birds compared to unfertilized stands in the same developmental stage. However, intensification of forest management further impedes habitat quality for more specialized species and generally reduces the diversity of forest birds by simplifying structure and composition of forest stands and shortening the rotation period. Therefore, careful planning of spatial arrangement of treatment units with different management, retention of natural forest and/or structures and legacies such as dead wood and deciduous trees are necessary to promote avian diversity in intensified forest management schemes.

Out of Place: Geographical Fiction(s) in Håkan Nesser’s Inspector Van Veeteren Series

In his review of the 2008 BBC production of ‘Wallander’, based on Henning Mankell’s 1995 crime novel ‘Villospår’ (‘Sidetracked’), Paul Hoggart proposes that ‘[i]f you want to get under the skin of a foreign culture, skip the guided tours of cathedrals and art galleries, and read its crime thrillers’. Which culture is it then, one wonders, that reveals itself through a reading of Håkan Nesser’s Inspector Van Veeteren series? Unlike Mankell’s Wallander, who generally operates within the greater Ystad area in southern Sweden, Van Veeteren lives and works in a geographically unspecific location somewhere in Northern Europe, coded with place names reminiscent mainly of Flanders and The Netherlands but also incorporating references in the form of personal names and geographical denotations that could best be described as pan-European. Whereas the specificity of place is integral to – arguably even the defining characteristic of – the crime novels of Swedish writers such as Mankell, Sjöwall-Wahlöö, Liza Marklund and others, Nesser invents the fictional town of Maardam and its surroundings for the settings of his Van Veeteren stories. Where Nesser’s stated aim in locating his novels in fictional settings is a stripping of geographical connotation in order to create possibilities for readers to engage in their own poetic practice of image-creation – one neither based on nor burdened by geographical knowledge or accuracy, we find some of these readers compelled towards acts of compensatory cartography that reflect a drive to establish an environmental orientation even within geographically indeterminate literary worlds. Nesser speaks of a reading group formed around another of his novels, ‘Kim Novak Never Swam in Genesaret’s Lake’ [‘Kim Novak badade aldrig i Genesarets sjö’], whose members ‘sketched out maps and sent them to me. “Is this what it looks like?” they wondered’. This article explores the ways in which these texts initiate reflection on the nature of the relationship between fictional texts and the ‘real’ world from which they simultaneously emerge and ontologically differ; the function of geographical indeterminacy in Nesser’s crime fiction as a whole; and evaluate the author’s stated claims about precisely what ‘freedoms’ such indeterminacy allows – both from the perspective of an aesthetics of production, as well as for those readers seeking to orient themselves in fictional worlds.

Fathers' sense of security during the first postnatal week—A qualitative interview study in Sweden

Backgroundfather's sense of security in the early postnatal period is important for the whole family. An instrument, which measures Parents' Postnatal Sense of Security (the PPSS instrument), is under development. Objectiveto explore and describe factors, which influence fathers' sense of security during the first postnatal week. Methodsan explorative design with a qualitative approach was used. Thirteen fathers from three hospital uptake areas in Southern Sweden were interviewed using focus group discussions and individual interviews. Analysis was carried out using qualitative content analysis. Findingsparticipation in the processes of pregnancy birth and early parenthood emerged as the main category for fathers' postnatal sense of security. The emergent categories were; ‘willingness to participate and take responsibility’, ‘being given the opportunity to take responsibility’, ‘being assured about mother's and baby's well-being’, ‘having someone to turn to—knowing who to ask’, ‘being met as an individual’ and ‘being met by competent and supporting staff’. Key conclusions and implications for practicenew and specific items of importance when investigating fathers' sense of security during the early postnatal period have been pinpointed. Fathers' sense of early postnatal security may be enhanced by giving them a genuine opportunity to participate in the whole process and by giving them the opportunity to stay overnight at the hospital after the birth. Midwives and care organisations need to give clear information about where competent help and advice can be obtained at all hours. Midwives should strengthen the fathering role by acknowledging and listening to the father as an individual person.

Life cycle assessment of a household solid waste source separation programme: a Swedish case study

The environmental impact of an extended property close source-separation system for solid household waste (i.e., a systems for collection of recyclables from domestic properties) is investigated in a residential area in southern Sweden. Since 2001, households have been able to source-separate waste into six fractions of dry recyclables and food waste sorting. The current system was evaluated using the EASEWASTE life cycle assessment tool. Current status is compared with an ideal scenario in which households display perfect source-separation behaviour and a scenario without any material recycling. Results show that current recycling provides substantial environmental benefits compared to a non-recycling alternative. The environmental benefit varies greatly between recyclable fractions, and the recyclables currently most frequently source-separated by households are often not the most beneficial from an environmental perspective. With optimal source-separation of all recyclables, the current net contribution to global warming could be changed to a net-avoidance while current avoidance of nutrient enrichment, acidification and photochemical ozone formation could be doubled. Sensitivity analyses show that the type of energy substituted by incineration of non-recycled waste, as well as energy used in recycling processes and in the production of materials substituted by waste recycling, is of high relevance for the attained results.

Local strategies for efficient management of solid household waste – the full-scale Augustenborg experiment

A system with property-close source-separation of thirteen different solid household waste fractions in a residential area in southern Sweden, including the implementation of new systems for source-separation of food waste, waste electric and electronic equipment, hazardous waste and fat, oils and grease was monitored over a 2-year period. Continuous weighing of disposed waste and repeated waste composting analyses were used to investigate recycling behaviour of households in the area and to monitor the composition of disposed waste. Results show that 34% of the total amount of generated waste was currently diverted to material recycling. The removal of recyclables from residual waste could be significantly increased, as more than 80% of all waste in the area (bulky waste excluded) was either covered by the Producer Responsibility Ordinances on packaging and newspaper or constitutes food waste suitable for biogas production. Food waste still represented almost 30% of all residual waste in the study area and was thus the fraction with the greatest potential (on weight basis) for increased source-separation.

Comparison of airborne and terrestrial gamma spectrometry measurements - evaluation of three areas in southern Sweden

The Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU) has been conducting airborne gamma spectrometry measurements of natural radioactivity in Sweden for more than 40 years. Today, the database covers about 80% of the country’s land surface. This article explores the first step of putting this data into use in radioactive source search at ground level. However, in order to be able to use the airborne background measurements at ground level, SGU data must be validated against terrestrial data. In this work, we compare the SGU data with data measured by a portable backpack system. This is done for three different areas in southern Sweden. The statistical analysis shows that a linear relationship and a positive correlation exist between the air and ground data. However, this linear relationship could be revealed only when the region possessed large enough variations in areal activity. Furthermore, the activity distributions measured show good agreement to those of SGU. We conclude that the SGU database could be used for terrestrial background assessment, given that a linear transfer function is established.

Decreased DOC concentrations in soil water in forested areas in southern Sweden during 1987–2008

During the last two decades, there is a common trend of increasing concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in streams and lakes in Europe, Canada and the US. Different processes have been proposed to explain this trend and recently a unifying hypothesis was presented, concluding that declining sulphur deposition and recovery from acidification, is the single most important factor for the long-term DOC concentration trends in surface waters. If this recovery hypothesis is correct, the soil water DOC concentrations should increase as well. However, long-term soil water data from Sweden and Norway indicate that there are either decreasing or indifferent DOC concentrations, while positive DOC trends have been found in the Czech Republic. Based on the soil water data from two Swedish integrated monitoring sites and geochemical modelling, it has been shown that depending on changes in pH, ionic strength and soil Al pools, the DOC solubility might be positive, negative or indifferent. In this study, we test the acidification recovery hypothesis on long-term soil water data (25 and 50 cm soil depth) from 68 forest covered sites in southern Sweden, showing clear signs of recovery from acidification. The main aim was to identify potential drivers for the DOC solubility in soil solution by comparing trends in DOC concentrations with observed changes in pH, ionic strength and concentrations of Al n+. As in earlier Swedish and Norwegian studies, the DOC concentrations in soil water decreased or showed no trend. The generally small increases in pH (median < 0.3 pH units) during the investigation period seem to be counterbalanced by the reduced ionic strength and diminished Al concentrations, increasing the organic matter coagulation. Hence, opposite to the conclusion for surface waters, the solubility of organic matter seems to decrease in uphill soils, as a result of the acidification recovery.

Can repeated fertilizer applications to young Norway spruce enhance avian diversity in intensively managed forests?

Repeated fertilization of forests to increase biomass production is an environmentally controversial proposal, the effects of which we assessed on breeding birds in stands of young Norway spruce (Picea abies), in an intensively managed forest area in southern Sweden. Our results show that fertilized stands had 38% more species and 21% more individuals than unfertilized stands. Compared with stands under traditional management, the further intensification of forestry by repeated applications of fertilizers thus seemed to enhance species richness and abundance of forest birds. We cannot conclude at this stage whether the response in the bird community was caused by changes in food resources or increased structural complexity in the forest canopy due to the skid roads used for the application of the fertilizers. Future studies should focus on structural and compositional effects of fertilization processes during the entire rotation period and at assessing its effects in a landscape

A landscape and policy perspective on forest conversion: Long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus) and the allocation of deciduous forests in southern Sweden

As resources allocated specifically for conservation are limited, there is a need to ensure conservation policy initiatives lead to effective conservation outcomes. In this study, we investigated the potential conservation benefits from alternative spatial allocations of old deciduous stands to a landscape dominated by coniferous production forests owned primarily by non-industrial private forest owners. As a target species, we used the long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus), a species associated with deciduous forests and known to be sensitive to isolation. We used a previously published model based on empirical data on the occurrence of this species, to assess the probability of occurrence of the bird in a 4,000 km2 area in southern Sweden for which we possess detailed spatial GIS data (kNN data) of tree species composition and age. We assessed alternative scenarios where old deciduous forest was allocated with or without respect to distance from existing old deciduous forests. Due to the long-tailed tit’s habitat requirement increasing the amount of old deciduous forests close to existing habitats was the most effective strategy. However, the potential advantages of this strategy may in fact be overturned in favor of the other scenarios if ownership structures and probable uptake rates of policy initiatives are also considered. If a policy initiative is targeted toward owners with properties in close proximity to existing suitable habitat, when compared to if all forest owners are targeted, a higher proportion of owners is needed to participate in order to achieve the same degree of habitat creation for the species. Here, we discuss the potential benefits for effective conservation policy formulation from integrating spatially explicit datasets and detailed ecological knowledge with land-ownership structures and policy uptake scenarios.

Mothers’ sense of security in the first postnatal week: interview study

This paper is a report of a study of factors which influence mothers' sense of security during the first postnatal week. Mothers' sense of security the first postnatal week is not thoroughly elucidated in the literature. An interview study with a qualitative descriptive design was carried out, using thematic content analysis. Fourteen mothers from three hospital uptake areas in Southern Sweden were interviewed using focus group discussions and individual interviews between May 2008 and March 2009. Postnatal sense of security was dependent on support from staff, support from family and the capacity and health of the woman and the baby, and these themes had categories and sub-categories, including: Being met as an individual, being given relevant information, being prepared for the time after birth and having someone to turn to--knowing who to ask, having partner and/or significant others close at hand, mother's and the baby's own resources, being assured that her own physical health was good, and having planned follow-up regarding the baby's health after discharge. Staff attitudes should be continually discussed at all units providing maternity care. These discussions should include attitudes towards the father and the significance of his presence for the wellbeing of the family. Continued postbasic staff education in, for example, counselling and communication is necessary if services are to be improved so that parents' individual needs can be met. Preparation for the early postpartum period is important and all information given must be consistent, in particular information about breastfeeding.

Property-close source separation of hazardous waste and waste electrical and electronic equipment – A Swedish case study

Through an agreement with EEE producers, Swedish municipalities are responsible for collection of hazardous waste and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). In most Swedish municipalities, collection of these waste fractions is concentrated to waste recycling centres where households can source-separate and deposit hazardous waste and WEEE free of charge. However, the centres are often located on the outskirts of city centres and cars are needed in order to use the facilities in most cases. A full-scale experiment was performed in a residential area in southern Sweden to evaluate effects of a system for property-close source separation of hazardous waste and WEEE. After the system was introduced, results show a clear reduction in the amount of hazardous waste and WEEE disposed of incorrectly amongst residual waste or dry recyclables. The systems resulted in a source separation ratio of 70 wt% for hazardous waste and 76 wt% in the case of WEEE. Results show that households in the study area were willing to increase source separation of hazardous waste and WEEE when accessibility was improved and that this and similar collection systems can play an important role in building up increasingly sustainable solid waste management systems.

Performance of time‐domain and spectral‐domain Optical Coherence Tomography for glaucoma screening

PurposeTo investigate the measures of validity for selective or population screening of the time-domain Stratus and the spectral-domain Cirrus Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) imaging techniques in a population-based sample and in clinical glaucoma patients at different stages of glaucoma.Patients and methodsA random sample of 307 subjects living in two rural areas in southern Sweden, and a random sample of 394 clinical glaucoma patients were selected. A large battery of examinations, including Stratus and Cirrus OCT was performed. OCT retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness analyses for average thickness, quadrant and clock-hour sectors were compared with normative significance limits available in the instruments.ResultsThe population-based sample included 129 healthy and nine glaucoma subjects, and the sample of clinical glaucoma patients included 138 patients. Specificity and positive predictive values were generally better with Stratus than for Cirrus, and sensitivity was generally better with Cirrus. With the average RNFL thickness parameter, Stratus reached 100% specificity and a positive predictive value of 100% and 68% sensitivity in the whole group of the clinical glaucoma patients, but sensitivity was only 28% among the earliest stage glaucoma patients. Sensitivity increased considerably when relying on the quadrant sector parameter, while specificity decreased only marginally.ConclusionStratus, with high specificity and positive predictive values, seemed to be best of choice for screening purposes, while Cirrus, with high sensitivity, was the better choice for early detection.

Spatial patterns of Bovine Corona Virus and Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus in the Swedish beef cattle population

BackgroundBoth bovine coronavirus (BCV) and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) infections are currently wide-spread in the Swedish dairy cattle population. Surveys of antibody levels in bulk tank milk have shown very high nationwide prevalences of both BCV and BRSV, with large variations between regions. In the Swedish beef cattle population however, no investigations have yet been performed regarding the prevalence and geographical distribution of BCV and BRSV. A cross-sectional serological survey for BCV and BRSV was carried out in Swedish beef cattle to explore any geographical patterns of these infections.MethodsBlood samples were collected from 2,763 animals located in 2,137 herds and analyzed for presence of antibodies to BCV and BRSV. Moran's I was calculated to assess spatial autocorrelation, and identification of geographical cluster was performed using spatial scan statistics.ResultsAnimals detected positive to BCV or BRSV were predominately located in the central-western and some southern parts of Sweden. Moran's I indicated global spatial autocorrelation. BCV and BRSV appeared to be spatially related: two areas in southern Sweden (Skaraborg and Skåne) had a significantly higher prevalence of BCV (72.5 and 65.5% respectively); almost the same two areas were identified as being high-prevalence clusters for BRSV (69.2 and 66.8% respectively). An area in south-east Sweden (Kronoberg-Blekinge) had lower prevalences for both infections than expected (23.8 and 20.7% for BCV and BRSV respectively). Another area in middle-west Sweden (Värmland-Dalarna) had also a lower prevalence for BRSV (7.9%). Areas with beef herd density > 10 per 100 km2 were found to be at significantly higher risk of being part of high-prevalence clusters.ConclusionThese results form a basis for further investigations of between-herds dynamics and risk factors for these infections in order to design effective control strategies.

Effects of granivorous rodents on direct seeding of oak and beech in relation to site preparation and sowing date

Planting bare-rooted seedlings is a rather expensive method to regenerate oak ( Quercus robur) and beech ( Fagus sylvatica). Direct seeding could reduce artificial regeneration costs substantially, but the method currently suffers from a number of problems, one of which is seed consumption by rodents. In the present study clear-cut areas in southern Sweden were prepared using one of four different mechanical site preparation methods – disc trenching, patch scarification, topsoil removal or mounding – then manually sown with acorns and beech nuts. Acorns were sown in May and July 2006, and both acorns and beech nuts were sown in May 2007. Three years following sowing, best seedling establishment from viable acorns, 60–70%, was achieved after sowing in mounds in May, and the subsequent survival reached 90–100%. After the first growing season for beech, both seedling establishment and subsequent survival was lower than for oak, which coincides with a higher number of lost beech nuts at the excavation to investigate the fate of seeds. Granivorous rodents ( Apodemus flavicollis, A. sylvaticus, Mus musculus, and Myodes glareolus) were live-trapped more frequently in the vicinity of slash piles compared to other micro-site features, such as uprooted stumps, snags and stones. In 2006, no connection was found between number of rodents captured and proportion of lost seeds, while in 2007 the two were in good accordance. No clear relationship was found between number of captured rodents, vegetation cover class and mechanical site preparation method. More rodents were captured in 2007 than in 2006, and there was an increase in captures from spring until late summer/autumn for both years, which was mirrored in the seedling establishment result from the three different times of sowing. Based on experiences from the present study the recommendation for successful direct seeding of oak on clear-cuts is a combination of mounding site preparation, removal of slash and sowing in May rather than July. However, the results indicate that successful direct seeding of beech is more difficult to achieve.

Nesting biology of the Hooded Crow Corvus corone cornix in a mixed residential–agricultural area in southern Sweden

We studied 11 active and 29 old nests of Hooded Crows Corvus corone cornix in a mixed residential-farmland landscape (3.6 km2) in southern Sweden in 2009. The density of active nests was 3.06/km2 land area and 7.33/km2 forest area. Thirty-eight nests were in pine-dominated forest and two in private gardens. All nests (active and old) were in pine trees Pinus sylvestris, and sample plots around nest trees had the following characteristics (means): 350 tree stems/hectare, 1,487 bushes/ hectare, and canopy cover 8%. Distance to the nearest active Crow nest averaged 234 m, but variation was large. Mean distance from nests to nearest forest edge was 19 m and to the nearest inhabited building 68 m. Nests were placed near the tree top (mean height 11 m) in all cardinal directions but with a significant bias towards the south. Seven out of 11 (64%) active nests produced fledglings (mean 1.2 nestling/successful nest). Breeding success was higher in nests that were close to another crow nest. Compared with previous studies, hatching success was high but final fledgling production was low.

Immigration and the incidence of Graves' thyrotoxicosis, thyrotoxic multinodular goiter and solitary toxic adenoma

Environmental and genetic factors influence thyrotoxicosis, but how population migration affects the disease panorama is not known. In an urban area in southern Sweden, during the years 1990 until 2003, the population increased from 232 000 to 267 000. In parallel, the proportion of inhabitants born outside Sweden increased. The aim was to investigate whether the incidence of Graves' thyrotoxicosis (GD), toxic multinodular goiter (TMNG), and solitary toxic adenoma (STA) has changed in Malmö since 1990 and to study the influence of geographic origin. An open label prospective registration of thyrotoxicosis, gender, age, smoking habits, and ethnic background during 2003-2005 in an urban area in southern Sweden (Malmö) was undertaken. The total incidence of thyrotoxicosis has changed from 43 to 41.6 cases/100,000/year from the years 1988-1990 to 2003-2005 (p-value 0.72). GD increased from 22 to 29.6 (p-value 0.0051), TMNG decreased from 16 to 9.9 (p-value 0.0011) and STA from 4.8 to 2.1 (p-value 0.0054)/100,000/year. The total incidence of GD was higher in inhabitants born outside Sweden up to the age of 69 years and age-specific incidence showed a peak in women aged 50-59 years old in both groups. The greatest difference between immigrants and Swedes up to the age of 69 years was observed in women aged 20-29 years old. The incidence of GD has increased and of TMNG has decreased in Malmö since 1990. Geographic origin seems to affect the incidence of GD. Whether the observed peak in age-related incidence in women 50-59 years is explained by menopausal changes has to be further investigated.

Salivary mutans streptococci in 6-year-old children from a multicultural suburban area after attending an oral health program

To investigate the prevalence of salivary mutans streptococci (MS) in children from a low socioeconomic multicultural suburban area and to evaluate if a 3-year comprehensive oral health education (OHE) program, initiated at the age of two years, had an impact on the saliva levels. Prospective clinical trial. The material consisted of two cohorts of 6-year-old children from a suburban area in southern Sweden. One cohort (n=804) had participated in a OHE program with a focus on tooth brushing with fluoride toothpaste and flouride tablets added to the regular preventive care provided by the Public Dental Service. The second cohort (n=217) consisted of reference children only attending for regular dental care. Both cohorts were dominated by children with Arabic background. Salivary MS were evaluated by a chair-side test and caries was scored through clinical examinations. Analyses were performed with Chi square tests, Pearson correlation coefficients and odds ratio calculations. The prevalence of salivary MS was high in both cohorts with approximately 90% harbouring the bacteria. One third of the children exhibited high counts (>10(6) CFU/ml) and there were no statistically significant differences between the groups. A statistically significant positive relationship between the levels of MS colonisation and caries prevalence was found in both cohorts. A 3-year OHE program implemented at the age of two years did not affect the high levels of salivary MS displayed in 6-year-olds living in a multicultural high-caries area.

Planning Rescue Services with Non-Stationary Rescue Units

Geographical accessibility is fundamental when planning rescue services. At present there are several programs for computing the accessibility of stationary rescue units. This study suggests a method for evaluating geographic accessibility in scenarios containing also non-stationary units. The method supports the planning process by matching the risk of an incident occurring with the rescue units’ capabilities and accessibility. The method is implemented in the computer program Rescue Unit Planner. The result of the analysis is presented in thematic maps and graphs as level of coverage, mean response time and concentration. The method and the computer program have been evaluated in two case studies: one urban area in southern Sweden and one rural area in northern Sweden. The case studies show that that this method can be useful in the rescue service planning process.

Direct and indirect methods for groundwater investigations: A case-study of MRS and VES in the southern part of Sweden

Magnetic Resonance Sounding (MRS) has been successfully tested for detecting groundwater in two areas in southern Sweden. Measurements of Schlumberger VES have been conducted in the same place as the MRS and the results are generally consistent. Low resistivity layers interpreted as clay are sometimes identified close to the surface. The MRS result in site 2 is a good example of signals penetrating through the clay and deeper aquifer still being detected. The MRS data suggest aquifers that are not only hosted in soft sediment materials (moraine, sand, and mixed materials), but hosted in basement rocks. Based on the MRS and borehole pumping test data, the results agree with yield, average water content and subsurface geological data.